Page 135 of Johnny

cowering men and women of various ages.

Everyone I came here with is totally fine with what just went down.

And every one of them is ready to do the exact same thing if Johnny gives the word.

Johnny swivels the chair to look at me. “Do you work here, Megan?”

I don’t know what to say.

“If you make me ask again, I’ll shoot someone else.”

“I really do work in a lab!”

“Megan,” he says. Forced patience oozing out with that one word. “Do you. Work here?”

“No,” I sigh. “I don’t work here. OK? I was just—“

“Oh, fuck that,” he says, pointing the gun at me. “No. You don’t get to explain yourself now. The

time for that is long gone. Understand me?”

I swallow hard and nod my head.

He smiles and stands. “Good. We’re all on the same page now.” He points his gun at the woman

Fake Megan elbowed in the kidney. “You,” he says. “Get up, sit in this chair, pull up all the data, and

then copy it onto this drive.” He tosses a drive onto the desktop.

Fake Megan pulls the woman up and shoves her in the direction of the chair. She practically falls

into it and starts typing.

Doesn’t say one word as she works.

A few seconds later she grabs the drive, shoves it into the tower, and a progress bar appears on

screen as all the data in the lab is copied onto the drive.

When it hits one hundred percent Johnny grabs the drive and says, “Thank you for your

cooperation.” Then he looks at Logan and nods his head in my direction as he says, “Take her out with

your team. I’ll follow you out in a minute.”

Logan nods. “Got it.” Then he says, “You heard the boss. Everyone out.”

I am shoved towards the door as people begin getting to their feet.

But then Johnny says, “Oh… no. Not you guys.”

I turn my head and yell, “What are you doing?” as I’m pushed, and shoved, and pulled down the

hallway.

He doesn’t answer.

He doesn’t need to.